“Exposure to toxic pollutants associated with human activities may be influencing the spread of infectious diseases in wildlife, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. The findings, just published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, have implications for both human health and wildlife conservation.
‘We found that while exposure to infectious agents or contaminants on their own might not have large effects on wildlife populations, the combination of the two can be greater than the sum of the parts,’ said senior author Richard Hall, a faculty member in the Odum School and College of Veterinary Medicine. ‘And further, when we start to see wildlife population declines under landscape modification, that could actually be a precursor to increased risk of zoonotic spillover, the chance that these pathogens transmit from wildlife into domestic animals and people.’
Human activities like urban, industrial and agricultural development are increasingly altering landscapes across the globe. Among their impacts is the introduction of toxic pollutants including heavy metals and pesticides.
At the same time, these human-altered landscapes often attract wildlife—think of food sources like bird feeders, unsecured dumpsters and farm fields. This not only exposes wildlife to toxic substances, it also exposes people to wildlife and any diseases they may be carrying.
To understand how all these factors interact, the researchers created a mathematical model based on flying foxes infected by a virus. In Australia, several species of these fruit-eating bats have moved into urban areas in growing numbers, attracted by fruiting and flowering trees planted in gardens and parks and in response to the loss of native forest habitat. They are also known to carry viruses harmful to domesticated animals and humans.”
View the whole story here: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-toxic-pollutants-impact-wildlife-disease.html